Emergency Care Arrangements

The priority for unaccompanied children in an emergency is to reunite them with their parents, family members, or relatives as quickly as possible, in order to provide them with care and protection. Where this is not immediately possible, children will require emergency care until reunification is possible via documentation and tracing activities.

Emergency care should cater to the child’s basic shelter, security, food and health needs, on a level that is comparable to the local community in order to avoid encouraging further family separations. Children should be kept fully informed of efforts to locate family, and any interim care plans. All agencies offering care must follow and international standards, and coordinate with the local authority.

The preferred care will usually be with temporary caretakers from the community, rather than in institutions, since this provides continuity and greater protection. Children associated with armed forces may require interim care, if immediate family reunification is not possible and in their best interests. Spontaneous care situations, such as kinship, foster care, and child headed households should be screened, monitored and supported to ensure children are protected and their basic needs and rights are being met. In some cases an alternative placement may be necessary. Where family members cannot be located, a longer term care plan should be formulated, however adoption must only be considered after all tracing and reunification activities have been exhausted over a substantial period of time.

Support programs should include all affected children, and should not target or isolate separated children. They should strengthen the community’s natural coping methods and support structures, and will therefore include community and child participation in decision making processes. All placements must be fully documented to facilitate tracing and reunification activities. Reunification should be the immediate goal for all children, unless this is not in their best interests.

The documents in this section relate to emergency care guidelines and examples from around the world.

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Protecting Children in Emergencies

Save the Children, 2005

A twelve page policy brief that outlines Save the Children's position on the type of protection children need in an emergency. Contains some statistical information.

Fighting Back: Child and Community-led Strategies to Avoid Children's Recruitment into Armed Forces and Groups in West Africa

Emily Delap, 2005

A research study which explores strategies used by children, families and communities to prevent child recruitment into armed forces.

Separated Children: Care and Protection of Children in Emergencies

Save the Children Federation, 2005

Guidance on preventing child separation, interviewing separated children, and programming for their care and protection needs. Contains specific information on temporary and longer term care options.

Indonesian Government Policy on Separated Children, Unaccompanied Children and Children left with One Parent in Emergency Situations

Bachtiar Chamsyah, 2005

Indonesian policy paper on the practice principles for separated and unaccompanied children in an emergency, including guidance on short and long-term care arrangements, tracing, and family reunification

Handbook on Psychosocial Assessment of Children and Communities in Emergencies

Regional Emergency Psychosocial Support Network, 2005

A guidebook focusing on the assessment to be conducted when an emergency first hits or just after a major event in an armed conflict. Outlines the preparation needs of an assessment team and describes what an assessment should concentrate on.

The Lost Ones: Emergency Care and Family Tracing for Children from Birth to Five Years

Marie de la Soudière, Jan Williamson, and Jacqueline Botte, 2005

Guidelines for the care of young children separated from their families in emergencies. Includes detailed information on prevention of separation, child registration and documentation, and family reunification.

Cash and Vouchers in Emergencies

Humanitarian Policy Group, Overseas Development Institute , 2005

Examines the use of cash and vouchers to provide people with assistance in emergency situations

The Lost Ones: Emergency Care And Family Tracing for Children from Birth to Five Years

Marie de la Soudière, Jan Williamson, and Jacqueline Botte, 2005

A manual primarily concerned with the prevention of separation of children during emergencies. It provides a field-oriented guide to solve problems specific to emergency care and tracing and family reunification of babies and children five years and younger.

Mental and Social Health During and After Acute Emergencies: Emerging Consensus?

Mark van Ommeren, Shekhar Saxena, and Benedetto Saraceno, 2005

A summary of the debate on the value of PTSD and trauma-focused care during and after acute emergencies. Argues for and outlines distinct intervention strategies to be considered for acute emergency and post-emergency phases.

Interagency Guiding Principles on Unaccompanied and Separated Children

International Committee of the Red Cross, 2004

Core interagency resource on the principles of practice with separated and unaccompanied children. Includes prevention of separation, evacuation procedures, and tracing, reunification, and care arrangements.